Looking for a song that captures the bittersweet feelings of young love? “Our Young Love” (젊은 우리 사랑) by The Black Skirts (검정치마) is a beautiful track that explores the universal emotions of love, regret, and memories from our younger days. Released in 2011 as part of the album “Don’t You Worry Baby (I’m Only Swimming),” this song has become one of the band’s signature pieces.
The Black Skirts is the solo project of Korean-American singer-songwriter Cho Hyu-il, who brought his love of 90s American indie music to the Korean music scene. His acoustic-driven melodies and heartfelt lyrics make his songs perfect for Korean learners. The vocabulary in this track revolves around emotions, relationships, and reflection, giving you practical expressions you can use when talking about your own experiences.
This song is ideal for intermediate learners because it features the retrospective grammar ending -던 (used to recall past experiences) and relationship-focused vocabulary like 우리 (we/us) and 젊은 (young). The relatively slow pace and clear pronunciation make it easier to follow along while learning.
Listen
Lyrics Preview
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 오 젊은 사랑 | o jeol-meun sa-rang | Oh, young love |
| 어린 맘 | eo-rin mam | A young heart |
| 우리 추억 | u-ri chu-eok | Our memories |
Want to see the full lyrics? Check them out on Bugs!
Key Expressions
Here are the must-know expressions from this song!
젊은 사랑 jeol-meun sa-rang
This means “young love.” 젊은 is the adjective form of 젊다 (to be young), and 사랑 means love. Together, they describe the passionate, sometimes reckless love of youth.
우리의 젊은 사랑은 아름다웠어요.
Our young love was beautiful.
어린 맘 eo-rin mam
This expression means “young/innocent heart.” 맘 is a casual, shortened form of 마음 (heart/mind). 어린 comes from 어리다, meaning young or naive.
어린 맘에 많은 실수를 했어요.
I made many mistakes with my young heart.
상처 sang-cheo
This noun means “wound” or “scar,” and it can refer to both physical and emotional wounds. It appears frequently in Korean songs about heartbreak.
그 말이 내 마음에 상처를 남겼어요.
Those words left a wound in my heart.
추억 chu-eok
This means “memories,” particularly nostalgic or sentimental ones. It is often used when reminiscing about past relationships or experiences.
우리는 좋은 추억이 많아요.
We have many good memories.
후회하다 hu-hoe-ha-da
This verb means “to regret.” The noun form 후회 (regret) is also commonly used in everyday conversation.
그때 말하지 못한 것을 후회해요.
I regret not being able to say it back then.
Grammar Points
-던 (Retrospective modifier: used to/would)
The ending -던 is used to describe actions or states that occurred repeatedly in the past or were ongoing but are now finished. It adds a sense of nostalgia or reminiscence. This is different from the simple past tense modifier -(으)ㄴ because -던 emphasizes that you are recalling something from memory.
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 자주 가던 카페가 문을 닫았어요. | ja-ju ga-deon ka-pe-ga mu-neul da-da-sseo-yo | The cafe I used to go to often has closed. |
| 우리가 걷던 길을 다시 걸었어요. | u-ri-ga geot-deon gi-reul da-si geo-reo-sseo-yo | I walked again on the road we used to walk. |
| 내가 좋아하던 노래예요. | nae-ga jo-a-ha-deon no-rae-ye-yo | It is a song I used to like. |
우리 (We/Our – expressing closeness)
In Korean, 우리 means “we” or “our,” but it is used much more frequently than in English. Koreans use 우리 to express a sense of belonging and closeness, even for things that might seem individual. You will hear 우리 나라 (our country), 우리 엄마 (our mom, meaning my mom), and 우리 집 (our house). In romantic contexts, 우리 emphasizes the bond between partners.
| 한국어 | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 우리 사랑은 영원할 거예요. | u-ri sa-rang-eun yeong-won-hal geo-ye-yo | Our love will be eternal. |
| 우리 엄마가 만든 음식이에요. | u-ri eom-ma-ga man-deun eum-si-gi-e-yo | It is food my mom made. |
| 우리 같이 가요. | u-ri ga-chi ga-yo | Let us go together. |
Culture Note
In Korean culture, reflecting on past relationships and “what could have been” is a common theme in music and poetry. The concept of 정 (jeong), a deep emotional bond that develops over time, plays a significant role in how Koreans understand relationships. Even after a breakup, the 정 that was built remains, which is why songs about past love often carry a tone of lingering attachment rather than complete closure. This song beautifully captures that sentiment of holding onto memories while accepting that time has passed.
Fun fact! The Black Skirts’ Cho Hyu-il is a Korean-American who grew up in the United States but moved to Korea to pursue music after developing a deep admiration for the Korean indie music scene. His background gives his music a unique blend of Western indie influences (like Weezer and The Strokes) with Korean lyrical sensibility. He describes his style as “mainstream indie pop” and has won the Best Modern Rock Album award at the Korean Music Awards for his debut album.